On Sun, 06 Apr 2003 02:24:41 GMT,
(Rodger Whitlock) wrote:

~On Sat, 5 Apr 2003 08:44:43 +0000 (UTC), jane wrote:
~
~ ...I want to rejuvenate an ancient woody
~ honeysuckle which my neighbour borrowed a shoot from years ago before we
~ moved in and which is now completely covering his pergola. I will therefore
~ ruin his display by cutting down my own plant!!!
~
~Before you do a thing, talk with him, and explain *why* you want
~to rejuvenate the honeysuckle and that you are aware it will
~cause problems for him. There may very well be some compromise
~approach that preserves everyone's happiness.

Ah well, there is another more pressing reason too. The honeysuckle is in
the fence (previous owners wove it in the panels when it was young!) and
some of the fence posts and most of the other panels have collapsed in the
winter gales. If he wants the fence repaired (it's my fence) he'll lose the
honeysuckle. I've already talked to his wife and we all like my proposed
solution.

I just can't get anyone to come do the blasted thing! We have a serious
shortage round here for plumbers, gardeners, electricians and other things.

~Of course, this kind of between-adults approach is impossible
~with cranks and nut cases, but most people are fairly reasonable.
~
~As I've said before here in URG, I once made the mistake of
~cutting down a overgrown, decadent hedge without first consulting
~with the neighbour on the other side. I was entirely within my
~legal rights, but it resulted in permanent coolness in our
~relationship, so I am unable to call upon his six daughters to
~feed my cats when I am away.
~

Perhaps this would be better in the neighbours thread, but...

I ask, because my parents' neighbours never did. They fell out years ago
(both sets have lived in the two semi-detached houses for 45+ years now)
over the next door's chap hopping over the 3' fence (his) into our garden
without permission and painting it with creosote on our side. After which a
lot of Dad's plants died. There was a row (I wasn't born at this point so I
have to go on Mum's telling) and he was told it wasn't appreciated, either
the hopping over or the creosote.

He then religiously creosoted the fence every summer for about 10 years
*when we went on holiday* and couldn't catch him. (It never dawned on him
that you only need to do it every 3 years in any case)

Dad finally retaliated by planting leylandii all the way along it. He has
kept them neatly trimmed to 6' and have served their purpose well. They
still barely talk to the neighbours. How sad is that?

(It's given me a loathing of both creosote and leylandii though, as I
always had clearup duty after a trim, and I have wonderful neighbours)


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

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